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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22912357">Silent Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567'>RedShirtWriter34567</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bright Young Things</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hate Crimes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Serious Injuries, Sickfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:22:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,066</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22912357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ginger is the victim of a mugging and comes home badly hurt. Miles patches him up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ginger Littlejohn/Miles Maitland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Silent Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miles was concerned. It was half-past eight in the evening, and Ginger still wasn't home yet. Was he still at work? Was he walking home? Miles anxiously got up from the window seat and paced about the flat. It wasn't like his Ginger to be late; he always so punctual. Miles tried to calm himself by pouring himself some brandy. He brought the glass to his lips and took a sip, and that's when he heard something out in the hallway. He froze and watched the door. What was that? Miles set down the glass and walked over to the door, listening closely. The noise happened again, louder, closer to the door. Bracing himself, Miles unlocked and carefully opened the door, peeking out into the dimly lit hallway. He didn't see anybody. The light from the flat spilled across the hall. and illuminated a man crumpled against the ground. </p><p>"Hello?" Miles asked cautiously. </p><p>The man stirred and lifted his head, eyes squinting at the light, and Miles gasped. It was Ginger! He looked terrible. His right eye was swollen shut, and blood oozed from his bottom lip. His hair was matted with blood and dirt, his clothes torn and dirty. Miles quickly ran over and knelt beside his husband, examining his beaten face with tears welling up in his eyes. </p><p>"Ginger, darling, can you hear me?" he asked. "What happened?" </p><p>"I was walking home from work and I....." Ginger paused to cough, blood speckling his lips. Miles tenderly brushed the droplets away. Ginger cleared his throat and continued. "I was attacked by these men. They just appeared out of nowhere. One hit me over the head with something and then the others beat me." He coughed again and winced, one hand pressing against his torso. More blood gleamed across his lips and teeth. Tears coursed down his face, leaving tracks in the blood and grime.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, darling," Miles said, cupping his face. "But it's over now. Let's get you cleaned up."</p><p>He held Ginger's hand and slowly helped him stand up. His husband inhaled sharply and leaned heavily against him. Miles guided him into their flat and shut the door behind them. He led Ginger through the flat and into the bathroom. He sat Ginger down on the toilet and turned to the bathtub, turning the knob to fill it with water. The pipes rattled in the wall as the warm water poured in. While the tub was filling, Miles turned to face Ginger again. He was leaning heavily to the side, eyes tightly closed, breathing slowly and shallowly. </p><p>"Let's get you out of those clothes," Miles murmured gently.</p><p>Ginger nodded, opening his eyes and kicking off his shoes. He undid his pants and slid them down his legs to the floor, but when he started to remove his shirt, he hissed in pain. Miles stepped closer, placing a hand against his cheek. </p><p>"Let me, love," he whispered.</p><p>He began to unbutton his husband's torn shirt and gasped when he saw the colorful array of bruises littered across Ginger's torso and chest. Miles removed the shirt and ran a fingertip across the bruises, not believing what he was seeing. Who could do such a heinous thing? He applied some slight pressure and Ginger hissed again.</p><p>"I think your ribs are broken," Miles said. </p><p>"I think so, too," Ginger agreed. "Everything hurts."</p><p>"I know, my love," Miles replied. "But I'll help you."</p><p>He turned the water off, the tub almost full, and tested the temperature of the water, making sure that it wasn't too hot or cold. Satisfied, Miles turned and offered his hand to Ginger, guiding him into the tub. Ginger sighed and relief as he sank into the water, tipping his head back against the edge of the tub and closing his eyes. Miles smiled at the sight and began to carefully scrub the grime and blood off Ginger's skin. The water slowly turned a reddish-brown color. Miles washed Ginger's hair, cupping a hand over his eyes as he rinsed the sodden locks. Ginger was half-asleep, eyes fluttering closed under Miles's tender ministrations.  After about ten minutes, Ginger's skin was clean, albeit littered with bruises, and his eye was still swollen, his lip still badly cut. </p><p>"Come along, darling," Miles said. "Let's get you to bed."</p><p>Ginger whined at the idea of moving, but he gripped Miles's hand as he rose from the water and stepped out of the tub. Miles wrapped his husband in his silk dressing gown and removed the plug from the bathtub, watching the blood-tinged water vanish down the drain. He grabbed the first-aid kit from the cabinet and took Ginger by the hand, walking toward their bedroom. He sat Ginger down on the bed and opened the first-aid kit, removing some alcohol swabs.</p><p>"This might sting a little, love," Miles warned.</p><p>Ginger nodded and took a deep breath. Miles carefully dabbed at the cut on Ginger's lip, clearing away the dried blood. Ginger hissed but didn't jerk away. The cut had bled messily but didn't look deep enough to require stitches. Once the wound was clean, Miles closed the kit and set it aside, examining Ginger's swollen right eye. It was a deep, dark purple, like a ripe plum. Miles pulled out a handkerchief and soaked it in cold water from a glass on the nightstand, then held it out to Ginger.</p><p>"Hold this against your eye, love," Miles instructed. "It might help the swelling and pain."</p><p>Ginger took the cloth and held it against his eye, sighing and laying back on the bed, propped against the pillows. Miles cuddled in next to him, gingerly wrapping his arm around his husband and nestling against his neck.</p><p>"Thank you," Ginger said, quietly.</p><p>"You're welcome, my darling," Miles whispered, kissing his neck lightly. "Try and get some sleep. I'll be right here with you. I love you."</p><p>Ginger nodded and placed the cloth aside, relaxing against the pillows. Miles placed a hand gently on his husband's sternum, making a mental note to call a doctor in the morning. If Ginger's ribs truly were broken, he would need pain medicine, something they, unfortunately, didn't have in the flat. Ginger's breathing grew even as he fell asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. Miles watched him for a long time before he, too, fell asleep, staying close to his husband all night.</p>
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